What does it really take to be a hero? Do you need giant muscles, towering height, or endless power? Not at all. Sometimes being a hero starts with quick thinking, a brave heart, or the simple choice to help someone else. When we read about the bold characters in these stories, we can feel our own inner hero waking up, reminding us that we all have the power to do good.

Since people first began telling stories, magic has always been part of the most exciting ones—moments when something amazing happens, a hero is changed, or the whole story takes a surprising turn. And really, a little magic appears every time a story is shared. The storyteller becomes the magician, and for a while, the story, the teller, and the listeners all feel connected.

This book is perfect for anyone who adores cats. All around the world, people see cats as special—sometimes magical, sometimes mysterious, always full of personality. The nine stories in this collection show cats at their very best. Some are sweet, some are sneaky, some are brave or stubborn, but every single one is clever.

This special collection of American folktales travels all across the country—from Alaska’s icy tundra to Virginia’s soft green hills, from Louisiana’s steamy bayous to the wide‑open prairies of South Dakota. The author tells each story in his gentle, welcoming style, making every tale feel like it’s being shared around a cozy campfire.

For a long, long time, Eastern Europe has been a place where many different peoples, languages, and traditions meet. Sometimes there were disagreements, and sometimes there was great cooperation—but through it all, people told stories. These folktales show just how diverse the region is, and each one shares a challenge that can be faced with clever thinking, bravery, and hope.

Feathers: A Jewish Tale from Eastern Europe is a beautifully illustrated children's picture book that teaches a timeless lesson about the dangers of gossip.

American Children's Folklore is an engaging anthology that captures the real songs, games, and secret languages kids use every day.

Storytime Stretchers is an essential resource for teachers and storytellers looking to engage audiences of all ages with fun, high-energy activities.

When ten suns make the earth too hot to inhabit, a brave archer must use his skills to bring balance back to the world.

Discover a heartwarming collection of stories about growing up in the rural Midwest during the 1950s.

Big Doc's Girl is a classic coming-of-age story set in rural Arkansas, following a young woman named Mary as she balances her dreams of becoming a concert pianist with her family responsibilities.

Asian Tales and Tellers is a diverse collection featuring more than thirty traditional stories from across the rich Asian cultural landscape.

African-American Folktales is a lively collection of over 30 traditional stories designed to engage and entertain young readers.

Adventures of High John the Conqueror is a powerful collection of African American folktales featuring the legendary slave trickster who consistently outsmarted his oppressors.

This cheerful book is filled with 80 songs that are meant to be sung as rounds—the kind where one group starts, and another group joins in a little later, creating a beautiful, layered sound. Each song is printed on a clean, easy-to-read page and paired with a simple ink drawing to spark the imagination.

Maybe it’s because his mother was a teacher. Or maybe it’s because he spent so much of his life in classrooms—first as a curious first grader, then as a hopeful college student, later as a seminarian, and now as a visiting writer who travels to schools all over the country. Whatever the reason, school has always been at the heart of Donald Davis’s stories, and this book gathers his very favorite school adventures.

Maybe it’s a king who spills a drop of honey and refuses to clean it up—until that tiny mess grows into a giant problem. Maybe it’s some sandpipers and whales who start a silly argument that nearly destroys the place they all call home. Or maybe it’s a man who thinks a weapon will make him powerful, or a troop of monkeys who follow their leader into water that’s far too deep.

People have been telling “fool stories” for as long as anyone can remember. After all, everyone has a noodlehead day now and then—a day when your brain seems to take a little vacation. As you’ll see in this collection, silly characters come in every shape and size. They might make ridiculous mistakes, mix things up, or leap before they look, but that’s what makes their adventures so much fun.